Web pay-off unit



March 1, 1955 Filed Feb. 19, 1952 J. A. CRUTCHER WEB PAY-OFF UNIT 4 'hee'ts-Sheet 1 Joseph Arthur Crurcher mmvron.

March 1, 1955 J. A. CRUTCHER I WEB PAY-OFF UNIT 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 v Filed Feb. 19, 1952 Joseph Arthur Crufcher INVENTOR.

March 1, 1955 J, cRuTc 2,703,209

WEB PAYOFF UNIT Filed Feb. 19, 1952 4 Sheets5heet 3 Jose I: Anfhur Crutche r g/RI p INVENTOR.

BY @uw w q,

March 1, 1955 J. A. CRUTCHER 2,703,209

I v WEB PAY-OFF UNIT Filed Feb. 19, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Joseph Arthur Cru rcher IN VEN TOR.

BY .onl swy 3m United States Patent 2,703,209 WEB PAY-OFF UNIT Joseph Arthur Crutcher, Franklin, Ohio Application February 19, 1952, Serial No. 272,413

8 Claims. (Cl. 242-64) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in web holding devices and the primary object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for continuously supplying webbing to a cutting mechanism, such as is used in cutting plastics, paper, and textiles.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a web holding and pay-off apparatus that will permit webs to be supplied to a cutting mechanism at an uninterrupted rate, whereby the cutter may operate continuously as rolls of web material are replenished in the apparatus. f H

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of the aforementioned character including pairs of roll holding elements. that are selectively actuated in a convenient manner to permit a roll whose webbing has been removed to be replaced by a new roll of webbing.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for supplying webbing to a cutting mechanism including a rotatable holding member having means for releasably supporting -a plurality of circumferentially spaced rolls of webbing material, and a manually actuated releasing mechanism for selectively engaging and releasing the roll supporting means, whereby a new roll may be applied to the holding member, while the webbing on the other rolls are being supplied to a cutting mechanism.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a device as aforedescribed that is simple and practical in construction, strong and reliable in use, efficient and durable in operation, inexpensive to manufacture, install, service and operate, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operations as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part thereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which;

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the present invention; 7

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of the present invention and the cutting mechanism to which webbing material is supplied by the present invention;

Figure 5 is a group view showing diagrammatically the manner in which rolls are applied to the apparatus;

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view showing how a new roll is applied to the apparatus; 7

Figure 7 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 7--7-.of Figure 2;

central reinforced openings that slidably receive the square intermediate portion 32 of the shaft 24. The outer faces of the drums are formed with sleeve portions 34 that carry set screws 36 whereby the drums may be longitudinally adjusted on the shaft 24 for rotation therewith.

Each of the drums 28 and 30 slidably and rotatably carry a plurality of circumferentially spaced roll holding elements 38. The elements 38 each include a horizontal rod 40 having a multi-sided inner end 42 and a reduced outer end 44. Spools 46 are received on the outer ends 44 and flanges or plates 48 are removably secured to the outer ends 44 by fasteners 50. Spacer sleeves 52 embrace the ends 44 and are disposed between and engage the spools 46 and the plates 48.

Pairs of clamping arms 56 are formed with end recesses 58 that receive the spools therein. The arms 56 are also pro vided with end recesses 60 that receive horizontal torque studs 62 fixed to and projecting outwardly from the outer faces of the drums. U-shaped straps 63 extend about the arms 56 and are secured to the arms 56 by fasteners 64 that retain the arms 56 engaged as shown in Figure 9.

The rods 40 are slidably received in apertures 66 and 68 in the inner and outer wall portions 70 and 72 of the drums 28 and 30. Coil springs 74 embrace the rods 40 and are biased between shoulders 76 on the rods and the outer wall portions 72 to yieldingly urge the ends 42 of the rods 40 carried by drum 28 toward the end portions 42 of the rods 40 carried by the drum 30.

Means is provided for rotating the holding member t 22 and this means comprises a power driven shaft 78 having a pinion 80 at one end that engages a gear 82 fixed to one end of the shaft 24.

The holding member 22 may be locked in a selected rotated position through the medium of a locking mechanism consisting of a bracket 84 that is secured to the inner face of member 16 and which pivotally supports a lever 86 having a bifurcated end 88. A plunger 90 is slidably carried by the member 16 and carries a spring 92 that urges the plunger from the outer face of the member 16. The inner head end of the plunger is received between the furcations of end 88.

A disk 94 is keyed on the end of shaft 24 remote from the gear 82. Disk 94 is formed with a series of circumferentially spaced apertures 96 for selectively receiving the plunger 90. The plunger is retracted from the disk 94 Figure 8 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken sub- Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeral 10 represents a support including a base12 having a pair of upstanding bearing. members 14 and 16 removably secured thereto, as by "fasteners 18 extending'through the flanges 20 of the bearing members and into threaded apertures in the base. l t m The support 10 rotatably supports a holding member designated generally by the numeral 22. The holding member 22 is composed of a horizontal shaft 24 .whose ends are rotatably supported in .bearingelements 26 at the upper ends of the members 14 and 16. A pair of hollow cylindrical drums or walls 28 and 30 are formedwith" as the end 88 of the lever 86 is swung away from the support member 16.

The holding elements of the drum 28 are arranged in pairs with the holding elements 38 of the drum 30, and

means are provided for selectively engaging and moving the pairs of holding elements away from each other to permit releasing of a roll held thereby. This latter means includes a pair of horizontally swingable arms 98 and 100 that are centrally pivotally attached to brackets 102 and 104 under the base 12. The inner ends of the arms 98 and 100 are provided with upstanding portions 106 to which horizontal rods 108 are fixed.

Rods 108 carry vertical arm elements 110 that are held on the rods 108 by pairs of nuts 112 threaded on the rods 108. The arm elements 110 are so disposed as to be received between the spools 46 and the plates 48 as the holding member is rotated, for a purpose presently to be' described.

A disk 114 is centrally pivoted under the base 12 by a vertical pivot 116. The adjacent inner ends of a pair of flexible or resilient straps 118 and 120 are secured to diametrically opposite sides of the disk 114 and the outer ends of the straps 118 and 120 are fixed to the outer ends of arms 98 and 100. e p

A lever'122 is pivotally supported by a bracket 124 on the base 12 and is connected by a pitman 128 to an arm 126 fixed to disk 114, whereby the disk 114 may be rotated by'the lever 122 to simultaneously impart swinging motion to arms 98 and 100 and thereby move the arm elements 110 from the drums 28 and 30. The base 12 is formed with slots to accommodate the lever 122 1 and the upstanding portions 106 of the arms 98 and 100.

In practical use of the present invention, the core of a first roll' of webbing material R1 is slipped over the ends 42 of the lower pair of elements 38; The holding Patented Mar. 1, 1 955 member 22 is then rotated a quarter turn and locked in this position by the plunger 90 until the core of a second roll of webbing material R2 can be slipped onto the ends 42 of the lower elements 38.

Member 22 is again rotated a quarter turn and the core of a third webbing material R3 placed on the ends 42 of the lower elements 38. Again, the member 22 is rotated a. quarter turn and the core of a fourth webbing material R4 placed on the ends 42 of the remaining elements 38.

As each roll of webbing material is placed on the holding member 22 its webbing is extended to a conventional cutting mechanism C supported on or adjacent the base in front of the holding member. The webbing from roll R3 will extend over the webbing from rolls R1 and R2, and the webbing from roll R4 will extend over the webbing from rolls R1, R2 and R3, so that the cutting mechanism will cut four webbings at one time.

Figure 6 shows the core or mandrel for roll R1 ejected and a new roll R ready to replace it, thereby starting a second cycle. Thus, it will be seen that at all times at least three webs are being played-off. The rolls are removed by actuation of the lever 122 which will cause the arms 110 to engage the plates 43 of the lower elements 38 and force the ends 42 of the lower elements 38 away from each other and out of the core of the roll they are received in.

The power means M is operatively connected to the shaft 78 through the medium of a clutch C2 having an operator 0 so that the holding member 22 may be rotated selectively as the cutter mechanism C is in operation. (See Figure 4.)

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. An apparatus for feeding a continuous supply of webbing to a cutting mechanism, said apparatus comprising a support, a holding member having a central portion rotatably supported on the support and including a pair of spaced walls, circumferentially spaced holding elements rotatably supported on each wall and spaced radially outwardly from the central portion of said member, said holding elements adapted to hold a plurality of circumferentially spaced parallel rolls between the walls, said holding elements being slidably carried by the walls, and means engageable with selected holding elements for sliding the same away from each other to release a roll held thereby.

2. An apparatus for feeding a continuous supply of webbing to a cutting mechanism, said apparatus comprising a support, a holding member having a central portion rotatably mounted on the support, pairs of circumferentially spaced roll holding elements slidably and rotatably carried by the holding member, said holding elements being spaced radially outwardly from the central portion of said member and being movable toward and away from each other, means carried by the support for selectively engaging and moving the pairs of holding elements away from each other to release a roll held thereby, and means for rotating the support to bring a selected pair of holding elements into engagement with said moving means.

3. An apparatus for feeding a continuous supply of webbing to a cutting mechanism, said apparatus comprising a support, a holding member having a central portion rotatably mounted on the support, pairs of circumferentially spaced roll holding elements slidably and rotatably carried by the holding member and movable toward and awav from each other said holding elements being spaced radially outwardly from the central portion of said holding member means carried by the support for selectively engaging and moving the pairs of holding elements away from each other to release a roll held thereby, means for rotating the support to bring a selected pair of the holding elements into engagement with said element moving means, and means mounted on the support for locking the support in a selected rotated position.

4. An apparatus for feeding a continuous supply of Webbing to a cutting mechanism, said apparatus comprising a support, a holding member including a shaft rotatably positioned on the support and a pair of walls slidably adiustably mounted on the shaft, a group of circumferentially spaced roll holding elements carried by each wall, said elements paralleling said shaft and being longitudinally slidably carried by the walls, means operatively connected to the shaft for rotating the shaft, means for locking the shaft in a selected rotated position, said elements on one wall being arranged in pairs with the, elements on the other wall, and means for selectively engaging the pairs of elements to move the same away from each other, whereby a roll carrying a webbing may be released from between the walls.

5. An apparatus for feeding a continuous supply of webbing to a cutting mechanism, said apparatus comprising a support, a holding member including a shaft rotatably positioned on the support and a pair of walls slidably adjustably mounted on the shaft, a group of circumferentially spaced roll holding elements carried by each wall, said elements paralleling said shaft and being longitudinally slidably carried by the walls, means operatively connected to the shaft for rotating the shaft, means for locking the shaft in a selected rotated position, said elements on one wall being arranged in pairs with the elements on the other wall, each of said elements including a pair of spaced flanges, and swingable arms carried by the base and having portions for engaging between the flanges of a selected pair of elements to move the selected pair of elements away from each other, whereby a roll carrying a webbing may be released from between the walls.

6. An apparatus for feeding a continuous supply of webbing to a cutting mechanism, said apparatus comprising a support, a holding member including a shaft rotatably positioned on the support and a pair of walls slidably adjustably mounted on the shaft and rotatable thereby, a group of circumferentially spaced roll holding elements carried by each wall, said elements paralleling said shaft and being longitudinally slidably carried by the walls and revoluble by rotation of said Walls, means operatively connected to the shaft for rotating the shaft, means for locking the shaft in a selected rotated position, said elements on one wall being arranged in pairs with the elements on the other wall, each of said elements including a pair of spaced flanges revolved into one and the same position in the selected positions of said shaft, a pair of horizontally swinging arms having offset vertical portions engaging between the flanges of a selected pair of elements when said flanges are revolved into said one position, whereby a roll may be released from said selected pair of elements, and means connected to said arms for simultaneously swinging the arms.

7. An apparatus for feeding a continuous supply of webbing to a cutting mechanism, said apparatus comprising a support, a holding member including a shaft rotatably positioned on the support and a pair of walls slidably adjustably mounted on the shaft, a group of circumferentially spaced roll holding elements carried by each wall, said elements paralleling said shaft and being longitudinally slidably carried by the walls, means operatively connected to the shaft for rotating the shaft, means for locking the shaft in a selected rotated position, said elements on one wall being arranged in pairs with the elements on the other wall, each of said elements including a pair of spaced flanges, a pair of horizontally swinging arms having off-set vertical portions for engaging between the flanges of a selected pair of elements. whereby a roll may be released from said selected pair of elements, a rotatable disk, 21 pair of flexible straps secured to diametrically Opposite sides of the disk and attached to the arms, and means connected to the disk for rotating the disk to wind the straps about the disk and swing the arms to a position for moving the selected pair of elements away from each other,

8. An apparatus for supporting rolls of webbing, said apparatus comprising a rotatable holding member having an axis of rotation including pairs of circumferentially spaced slidably carried roll holding elements spaced radially outwardly from said axis of rotation, releasing means under the member for releasing a roll held by the roll holding elements, and means for rotating the member to bring a selected pair of said elements into engagement with said releasing means.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

